Flour sifter



A. R. DE LONG July .1 1924.

FLOUR SIFTER Filed Juhe 14, 1923 zer /ae )9. Q? [0N6 INYENT DR.

Patented July 1, 1924.

} um'rso STATE waste F l i ARTHUR R. DE LONG, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 EDWARD I-I. BRINK, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO. V

FLOUR SIFTER.

Application filed June 14, 1923. Serial No. 645,229.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ARTHUR R. DE Lone, a citizen of the United States, residing at Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flour Sifters, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in flour sifters and has for its primary object, the provision of such a sifter wherein the agitating bars may be operated by the thumb of the handrthat holds the sifter, thereby permitting the same to be operated by but one hand, it being of course necessary in the present type sifter to employ both hands in the operation thereof.

A further object of my invention is the provision of such a sifter that is comparatively simple of construction, and one that will embrace at the same time, the desired features of efficiency and durability, and that may be manufactured and marketed at no greater cost than the present type of flour sifters.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a sifter of the household type wherein there is provided a pair of agitating bars, together with means for simultaneously swinging these bars towards and away from each other for thereby providing an agitating means for the flour as well as a means for sifting of the same.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understood when the following detailed description is read in connection with the accompanying drawings, the invention residing in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as claimed.

In the drawings forming part of this application, like numerals of reference indicate similar parts in the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a cross sectional view through the handle portion of my improved sifter, showing in side elevation my sifter, together with the actuating means for agitator bars, a portion being broken away for showing more clearly the position of the agitator bars as well as the sifter screen therein.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detail cross section upon the line 2-2 of Figure 1, the

operating mechanism for the sifter bars being removed and Figure 3 is a side elevation of my im proved sifter. 7

Referring to the drawing in detail, 5 indicates the flour receptacle, that may be and preferably is similar in all respects to the receptacles of the flour sifters now upon the market. The opposite ends of this recep tacle 5 are open and within said receptacle and adjacent the lower end thereof is the usual mesh screen bottom 6. Upon one side of the receptacle 5 is a desirable form of handle 7, that is preferably of the type now employed. The receptacle 5 carries a. pair of U-shaped agitator bars 8 that are formed with pintles at their opposite ends for projecting through alined openings in the opposite sides of the receptacle 5. These agitator bars 8 have free swinging movement within the receptacle, and are adapted for closely contacting the screen bottom 6 for forcing the flour therethrough. The normal position of these bars 8 within the receptacle is as shown by the full lines in Figures 1 and 2, and the ends of these bars within the handle 7 are formed with upwardly and out wardly converging portions 9, which are in turn formed with rearwardly directing pintles 10. The upper and lower ends of the receptacle handle 7 are formed with alined openings and vertically disposed therein is a freel movable bar 11, preferably of circular-s ape in cross section. This bar 11 is formed at a point substantially intermediate the upper and lower ends of said handle 7 with a cross bar 12,- the opposite ends thereof being formed with slots 13 for the reception of the rearwardly directed portions 10 of the cross bars 8. Surrounding the bar 11 between the lower end of said handle 7 and an abutment 14 thereon is an expansion spring 15 for normally maintaining this bar 11 in the position of Figures 1 and 3.

The upper end of said bar is formed with a rearwardly directed thumb piece 16, and in actual practice, this thumb piece 16 is engaged by the hand thatgrasps the handle 7 and depressed for consequently swinging the agitator bars 16 to the downward position shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2 for thereby agitating and sifting the flour Within the receptacle. By releasing the rod 11 the agitator bars 8 will be again brought to their normal position transversely within the receptacle as above set forth by the expansion spring 15.

Numerous advantagesof a deviceof this character will present themselves to those skilled in the art, and although I have herein shown and described the most practical embodiment of the present invention, it is nevertheless to be understood, that minor changes may be made therein, without'departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. j

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is: a V

1. The combination with a flour sifter having a cylindrical body, a foraminous bottom therein, and a handle on the outside I of the body, of a pair of oppositely movable agitator bars mounted for rocking movement in the body for co-operation with the bottom, one end of each bar extending through the body at the handle portion and agitator bars for relative sliding movement therein, and resilient means for moving the operating'bar in'one direction, wherebysaid operating bar may be moved manually in the. opposite direction for operating said agitator bars in relative opposite directions to coaoperate withv said bottom.

2-. The combination of a flour sitter having a cylindrical body, a foraminous bottom therein, and a handle on the outside of the body, of a-pair of oppositelymovable agitator bars mounted for rockingmovement toward or from each otherin the body for co operation with the bottom, one end of each bar extending through the body at the ban dle portion inspaced relation, and an operating bar slidab le in the handle of the bodyand extending between the ends of said agitator bars, for operating said bars,

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ARTHUR R. DE LONG. 

